Yoga for the Computer-aged child .

We don’t generally consider children as having stressful lives, but when you think about how busy they are and are always rushing around to school, sports, lessons and so on, we can begin to appreciate that they are under significant pressure. This can definitely have a negative effect on their lives in many areas.
Their family structures are not what it used to be either. Many children live in single parent households. This has become a painful fact of life for children to accept growing up without both of their parents. The family unit has changed and parents need practical solutions a lot more than criticism or a lecture.

Peer pressure in school is much more than just drugs, cigarettes, and alcohol. Children are harassed by their peers, over every issue, including the clothes they wear. These days, children are pressured into pretending they are rich or joining a gang. This causes children more stress, at an early age, than they need.
It is not easy for children to socialize with other “good kids,” at a time when physical education, recess, children’s programmes, manners, and social skills are being placed “on the back burner.”

So, what is a caring parent to do? Yoga classes for children offer a positive refuge from life outside the Yoga studio. Just by stretching muscles, deep breathing, laughing, getting proper exercise, learning how to relax,We don’t generally consider children as having stressful lives, but when you think about how busy they are and are always rushing around to school, sports, lessons and so on, we can begin to appreciate that they are under significant pressure. This can definitely have a negative effect on their lives in many areas.
Their family structures are not what it used to be either. Many children live in single parent households. This has become a painful fact of life for children to accept growing up without both of their parents. The family unit has changed and parents need practical solutions a lot more than criticism or a lecture.
Peer pressure in school is much more than just drugs, cigarettes, and alcohol. Children are harassed by their peers, over every issue, including the clothes they wear. These days, children are pressured into pretending they are rich or joining a gang. This causes children more stress, at an early age, than they need.
It is not easy for children to socialize with other “good kids,” at a time when physical education, recess, children’s programmes, manners, and social skills are being placed “on the back burner.”

So, what is a caring parent to do? Yoga classes for children offer a positive refuge from life outside the Yoga studio. Just by stretching muscles, deep breathing, laughing, getting proper exercise, learning how to relax, meditating, and playing “Yoga games,” a child can be a kid again. Yet the structure of a Yoga class allows children to bond, socialize, learn, and improve their lives, with new life skills .
Yoga can help children deal with these pressures and learn techniques to help them to face life’s challenges more easily. Yoga is a noncompetitive activity that can foster self-esteem and awareness of one’s body for youngsters. Children can learn methods for relaxation, inner peace and self-health. This can help them develop compassion and cooperation as opposed to opposition.

Lastly, Yoga has many benefits for both genders. Yoga is good for both boys and girls to learn. The physical skills and knowledge will carry over into other hobbies and sports. Most of today’s elite athletes learn Yoga for cross training purposes. An athlete, who is flexible, strong, and calm under fire, is a formidable opponent. This is the reason why so many of the world’s professional sports teams cross train their players and teach them Yoga.
Physically, the benefits of practicing yoga for children range from improving flexibility to enhancing strength and coordination. Their sense of calmness, relaxation and concentration also improve.
Many yoga poses derive their inspiration from animals and plants. When children are given the opportunity to imitate the movements and sounds of nature, it is not only very enjoyable, but it also gives them the chance to experience, for example, the power of the lion, the grace of a swan, or the grounding of a tree. This introduces children to the true essence of yoga: union, expression and honour for oneself and others.
In teaching yoga to children, instructors have found that an interactive, multi-disciplinary approach works very well. The yoga asanas can be expanded upon to playing and imitating various plants and animals. This can be further explored with storytelling, games, picture drawing and playing musical instruments. Children can appreciate the use of their bodies and minds and how they can interact in play. Their natural tendency towards creativity and curiosity makes these classes fun and effective.
Yoga classes for children that take this multi- disciplinary approach are indeed an excellent learning experience. Children are provided with the opportunity to explore their innate abilities across many planes: linguistic, logical, visual, musical, kinesthetic, naturalistic, interpersonal and intrapersonal.
The great challenge in teaching children is to be able to hold their attention. Fortunately, children love to be in motion and they love to talk. They can do both of these in a yoga class and they will love playing like various animals, trees, flowers, cobras and warriors. The instructor should allow them to let go and roar in the lion pose, bark in the dog pose, meow in a cat stretch and hiss in a cobra.
Yoga Postures for Children
Kids get stressed just like adults do because they are placed in demanding situations where they feel they must excel. School, athletic programs, and daily tasks will tend to stress many kids to the breaking point. All of these expectations that are placed on them afford
them little opportunity to relax.

4 Reasons why your Children should Practice Yoga
1. Yoga can release tensed muscles caused by hours of sitting at a desk or in front of a computer.
Yoga differs from other forms of exercise in that it involves motions that don’t cause strain on the body. It isn’t an aerobic exercise, but it uses almost every muscle in your body. Over time, your limbs are strengthened – helping to combat the aches and pains caused by our sedentary lifestyles.
2. Mediation during Yoga can enhance concentration. Breathing deeply can improve vitality by increasing the amount of oxygen that reaches the brain. All forms of yoga incorporate the practice of proper breathing techniques for relaxation, to rest the mind from its constant chatter, to experience an internal calm, and to energize and purify the body.
3. Yoga is fun especially for children.
Yoga is great fun for children and teenagers and it’s easy for them to do, as they are already flexible. Yoga can help them retain that flexibility. It can also help to develop their self-discipline. Practicing yoga is good for developing coordination and can help to improve concentration – which many children and teens find difficult.
4. Yoga is the ideal exercise in the preparation of academic excellence. Practicing yoga can alter your brain chemistry. Some yoga positions in particular are effective in stimulating the pituitary gland to release endorphins and to reduce the level of cortisol (the stress hormone).